President Dilma tests out a Benz

President Dilma Rousseff tests out a Mercedes Benz at the 2012 São Paulo Auto show. Imported vehicles account for a fraction of the nearly four million cars sold in Brazil each year. But it's a market with great potential as incomes rise and tastes move a bit upscale. According to the Brazilian Association of Automotive Importers (ABEIVA), Brazil imported a record breaking 853,838 cars in 2011, up from 657,517 in 2010, 489,918 in 2009 and 394,153 in 2008. It's been rising and there's no looking back. The rub? Not all imports are luxury. Kia Motors is the number one imported vehicle in Brazil, accounting for around 27,000 units sold within the ABEIVA membership alone.